Method of making organic carbonate



stances. be apparent from the following description of the Patented Aug. 11, 1953 gas? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LC 2,648,697 7 METHOD OF MAKING ORGANIC CARBONATE Charles Adam Heiberger, Nitro, W. Va., assignor to Ohio-Apex, Inc., Nitro, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia No Drawing. Application April 10, 1951, SerialNo. 220,361

6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a method of preparing organic carbonates from organic chlorides of the type broadly termed as allyl chlorides and substituted allyl chlorides. The principal object of the present invention is the provision of methods by which carbonates of general formula wherein Y represents hydrogen, chlorine or the methyl group, may be prepared in such quantity and at such cost as will insure the availability of these carbonates as commercially useful sub- Other and more detailed objects will invention.

The reaction with which this invention is concerned is essentially that between the described chloride and a carbonate of sodium, but such chlorides and such carbonates are not effective when used alone to achieve any noticeable yield of the carbonates of the type above referred to.

'However, I have found that if the reaction is catalyzed by the addition to the reaction mixture of certain amines, the reaction moves efliciently to produce substantial yields of the carbonates. These amines are catalytic in action. They are not exhausted during the reaction. The amount of amine which, if present, will promote the reaction has no quantitative reactive relation to the amount of the reactants. The reaction will proceed so long as a very'sm-all amount of such catalytic compound is present. It is, of course,

desirable to use as little as possible of the catalytic compound in order to minimize cost. Generally an amount of the catalyst corresponding to about .01 to .1 mol per mol of the organic chloride reactant produces good yields. Greater amounts are not harmful except in so far as bulk. affects handling of the reaction mixture and may there-f fore somewhat reduce the yield.

The carbonate component of the reaction is 'either sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate, the latter being the equivalent of the first exceptthat the formation of ether by-products may be somewhat higher when the bicarbonate is used. Both are herein comprehended by the term carbonate of sodium.

the efficiency of the reaction. The effect produced by such an excess is one of efficiency re;

sulting only in better yield. Economically a molar excess of carbonate is desirable, but amounts above about 200% excess usually cease to be economical, from the standpoint of production in bulk, because yield does not further A molar excess of the carbonate compound component usually promotes increase to justify the reactant cost. In addition, I

wise be obtained.

Chloride reactants to which this invention refers are exemplified by such compounds as: 3- chlor propane-1; 3-chlor 2-methyl propene- 1;j3- chlor l-methyl propene-l; 1,3-dichlor 2-methyl propene-l; 2,3-dichlor propene-l; 1,2,3-trichlor propene-l; 2,4-dichlor butene-2; 1,1,3-trichlor 2-methyl propene-l; 4-chlor 3-methyl butene-Z; 4-chlor Z-methyl butene-2; 2,4-dichlor 3-methyl butene-2; 3,4-dichlor 2-methyl butene-2; 4-chlor 2,3-dimethyl butene-2; 1,1,2,3-tetrachlor propene-l. More conveniently these compounds can be described as compounds of the general formula wherein Y represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, chlorine and the methyl group.

The catalytic compounds or catalysts used in the reaction are of the type in which the valences of the nitrogen are each satisfied by attachment to a carbon atom of an organic group. The specific catalytic compounds of this type which I have found useful to promote the reaction between the above mentioned chlorides and carbonate of sodium are certain tertiary amines and quaternary am monium compounds, certain substituted morpholines, morpholinium halides and certain substituted ureas. These nitrogen compounds are selected from the class consisting of the compounds set forth in Table I:

Table I 1. Tertiary amines of general formula R2R"N, wherein R represents an unsubstituted alkyl group having less than 5 carbon atoms and wherein R" represents a group selected from the class consisting of unsubstituted alkyl groups of less than 19 carbon atoms, substituted ethyl, substituted propyl and ring substituted benzyl groups, wherein one-hydrogen is replaced by a group selected from the class consisting of OH and NRz in which R represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen and unsubstituted alkyl groups of less than 5 carbon atoms, substituted alkyl groups of less than 19 carbon atoms, no more than 6 of which are ring bound carbons, wherein hydrogen is replaced with a group selected from the class consisting ber greater than 9 and replacing less than 3 hydrogens of said group;

2. Ammoniimi; compounds corresponding to any of the-general formulae: R2R."2NX,

4 it is: not available as moisture-ideessnotiseriously affect the reaction.

H e -When there is present in the reaction mixture RRUN RRHNAQR. Y a chloride of the type above defined, carbonate 1 5 of sod1um'and'catalyt1c compound, the reaction g proceedstogyields which are substantial as compared withthenegligible yields produced in the R:R"N absence of the catalyst. This improved efiect OSCMOH is,not-. inhibited by the presence of inert subwherein R, and are as above definedam; stances in the reaction mixture which, at worst, X represents a halogen; because. of mechanical blocking or mass action 3. Substituted morpholines of general formula effects, y i y lmmlSh the yield. 0c4H8N R, WheremR issasg aboye defined; The reactlon does not normally proceed with 4... Morpholinium, halides of. general formula anyfeal efiect below about C5 e wherein R, and X are as 15 efficiency of the reaction increases as temperaabovedefinedy ture' rises andusually 'willbe found" to be com- 5, -VUreas of genemuormula mercially satisfactory at between about 80 and R 150 0., the optimum yieldbeingusually achieved within this range. The allyl'and'substituted-allyl chlorides are sufl'iciently stable to tolerate reaction temperatures as high as 200 C. without 9 R4 substantial lossrv of. the chloride reactant, and therefore such temperatures can be used, although in some casesyields -will.be.reduced...

5 Specific examples of.the,usef.ulness .of. thecatwherein R and R are as above defined; and" alytic compounds are set. forth .in.the.following 6. Triethanolamine. TablerIL Eachexample in.this-tab1e. represents The reaction mixture should be nonaqueous in the result.obtainedwhen.areactionmixturecomthe sense. that. water is not present as a reacposed of carbonate.reactant,..the.namedchloride tion. medium or menstruum. Unsatisfactory reactant, and the named catalyst was reactedior yields are obtained when over about 2% oflfree the indicatednumberofhours and.at the.indiwater by. weight of the total reaction mass is cated.temperatureandthe crudereactionprodpresent. Whenever possible; conditions should uct distilled. or otherwise treated to. obtain. the be adjusted to excludemoisture, and preferably carbonate. The carbonate reactantwascarbonthe free moisture content of the reaction mixate of sodiumused in .equivalentmolan amounts ture should be less than,1% by weight for best in the.reactionninvolving 342111011 propeneel, and results. Water presentinthe mixture and cominmolar. excesspf. the chloride. reactantin the bined physically. or. chemically. to. the extent that other. reactions.

Table; II.

Amitoi Am't of. 4 .Oatalyst gggggg? Tempmi. Reactio Chloride Reectant Catalyst Compound per molof vFormed Reaction; Time;-

Chloride Prcent a G. Hours Reactant Theoretical Ti'iethylamino .072: 56 125: j 20 Diethyl aminopropylamine 036 j 47 125'. 15 -Dimethyl; octylphenoxyethoxyethyl 018 20 126 15 amulet. 1 DimethyLhydroxy benzyl amine..- .036; 33. 1 125 15 Dimethyl, dodecyl; b'enzyl ammo- .072 22- 125* 20 nium chloride. .Dimethyl, dodeoyl, benzyl ammo- .072; 7 120., 20

niumfluoride. Triethyl ammonium butyrate- .0365 65.: 125: a 15 Dimethyl, hydroxyethy] ammonium .036 23. 125 l5 sulfate:

1,1 Dimethyl urea 036 30 125 15 N-methyl morpholin 072 29 125 20 'Ethyl, benzyl morph 036 33 120' 15 T'riethylamine. 012 52 125 20 do .072 64 20 N ,N Dimethy], benzyl-aminez- 036 29 125: 15 Diethyl, hydroxyeth 1, orthochlor' .036 8 120: 20

benzyl ammoniumx: loride. -"l."ri inethyl,'v hexadecyl"v ammonium .072 14- 105- 207 v bromide. Trimethyl, benzyl' ammonium. bu: .036 4 125 15 X1 9.- Dimethyl; benzyl ammonium hydroe- 036. 42 125 15 chloride. N-ethylmorpholine .036 5 15 Triethanolamine- .072 8" 105- 20 Tetrabutyl urea.-- 036 5 100 15 Trithylamine 072 30v 110 20 Dimethyl, octadecenyl amine .036 35 l 125 15 'Dimethyl, hydroxyisopropylamine 072 6 125 15 Tributyl amine 036T 22 125 15 Dimethyl; octadecyl. benzyl am .036 39 15 monium chloride. V Dimethyl, butoxymethyl, benzyl am- 036: 26 110 15 monium chloride. Ethyl, ,dimethyl, octadeecnyl ammo- 018 5 15 nium bromide. Dimethyl, dodecyl, benzyl ammo- .018 38- 125' 15 nium iod e. 'Tiiethyl ammonium'hydroiodideu 036'. 7' 125V 15 Dimethyl, benzyl ammonium acetate; 036 30. 120- 15 Methyl, butoxymethyl morpholinium' 036 i 6 125 15 chloride;- 1,1 Dibutyl urea .036 39 120 15 Triethanol amine 072 15 100 15 In general I prefer to use those catalysts defined by the general formula R2R"N, and of the compounds responding to this formula those in which the R and the R" are unsubstituted alkyl groups appear in many instances to be the most active. Generally the tertiary amines having three unsubstituted alkyl groups will be, because of eniciency, availability and cost, of greatest usefulness in large scale commercial production and, of such amines, triethylamine is preferred. As the tabulated examples indicate, however, all of the described catalysts are useful to positively promote carbonate formation in the otherwise practically inactive reaction between the defined chlorides and carbonate of sodium, and thus the choice of the catalyst may depend upon availability, cost and other economics of the particular operation to which the present invention may be applied.

The carbonate compounds produced by the use of the methods of this invention are particularly useful as plasticizers and extenders for resinous bodies such as plastics. They have solvent properties useful in the manufacture of vat dyes, printing inks, insecticides and smokeless powder and also useful in the application of protective coatings. Their properties likewise recommend use in various other fields such as heat transfer, lubricant compounding and textile manufacture.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 87,120, filed August 12, 1949, now abandoned.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The process of making an organic carbonate including reacting at temperatures of about 50 to about 200 C. a mixture containing not more than about 2% by weight of free water and consisting essentially of carbonate of sodium, a catalyst and a compound of general formula wherein Y represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, chlorine and the methyl group; said catalyst being selected from the class consisting of triethanol amine, substituted urea compounds of general formula RzNCONRz, substituted morpholines of general formula OC lHBNR, morpholinium halides of general formula OC HsNRR"X, and amines and ammonium compounds of general formula wherein X represents a halogen, R. represents an unsubstituted alkyl group having less than 5 carbon atoms, R represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen and unsubstituted alkyl groups of less than 5 carbon atoms, and R" represents a group selected from the class consisting of unsubstituted alkyl groups of less than 19 carbon atoms and substituted ethyl, substituted propyl and ring substituted benzyl groups, wherein one hydrogen is replaced by a group selected from the class consisting of OH and NRz, substituted alkyl groups of less than 19 carbon atoms, no more than 6 of which are ring bound carbons, wherein hydrogen is replaced by a group selected from the class consisting of the substituent groups phenyl, phenoxy, alkenyl, alkenyloxy, alkyl, alkoxy, halogen substituted phenyl and halogen substituted phenoxy, and any of said substituent groups wherein a hydrogen thereof is replaced by another of said substituent groups, the halogen contained in said halogen substituted groups being of atomic number greater than 9 and replacing less than 3 hydrogens of said group.

2. The process of making an organic carbonate including reacting at temperatures of about 50 to about 200 C. a mixture containing not more than about 2% by weight of free water and consisting essentially of carbonate of sodium, a catalyst and a compound of general formula Y Y Y-d= 3omo1 wherein Y represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, chlorine and the methyl group; said catalyst being triethylamine.

3. The process of making an organic corbonate including reacting at temperatures of about 50 to about 200 C. a mixture containing not more than about 2% by weight of free water and consisting essentially of carbonate of sodium, a caalyst and a compound of general formula Y Y Y([3=('JCH2C1 wherein Y represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, chlorine and the methyl group; said catalyst being dimethyl, butoxymethyl, benzyl ammonium chloride.

4. The process of making an organic carbonate including reacting at temperatures of about 50 to about 200 C. a mixture containing not more than about 2% by weight of free water and consisting essentially of carbonate of sodium, a catalyst and a compound of general formula Y Y YC=CCH2C1 wherein Y represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, chlorine and the methyl group; said catalyst being diethyl aminopropyl amine.

5. The process of making an organic carbonate including reacting at temperatures of about 50 to about 200 C. a mixture containing not more than about 2% by weight of free Waterand con sisting essentially of carbonate of sodium, a catalyst and a compound of general formula Y Y YC=( 3CHzCl wherein Y represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, chlorine and the methyl group; said catalyst being dimethyl, octadecenyl amine.

6. The process of making an organic carbonate including reacting at temperatures of about 50 to about 200 C. a mixture containing not more than about 2% by Weight of free water and consisting essentially of carbonate of sodium, a catalyst and a compound of general formula Y Y YC=(IJOHQOI wherein Y represents a group selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, and the methyl group; said catalyst being dimethyl, benzyl ammonium hydrochloride.

CHARLES ADAM HEIBERGER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,192,299 Collins Mar. 5, 1940 2,379,250 Muskat, et a1 June 26, 1945 2,384,118 Muskat, et al Sept. 4, 1945 2,395,070 Sarbach Feb. 19, 1946 

1. THE PROCESS OF MAKING AN ORGANIC CARBONATE INCLUDING REACTING AT TEMPERATURES OF ABOUT
 50. TO ABOUT 200* C. A MIXTURE CONTAINING NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 2% BY WEIGHT OF FREE WATER AND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CARBONATE OF SODIUM, A CATALYST AND A COMPOUND OF GENERAL FORMULA 